View full sizePD fileMike Holmgren has dipped into the language of the head coach in saying that Brandon Weeden isn't guaranteed the starting position at QB when the team's practices get underway. That's perfectly understandable, says Bud Shaw, but had better just be public relations fluff.

Mike Holmgren says Weeden must win the starting job in a healthy competition, even though a healthy competition would carry serious side effects if Weeden doesn't emerge as the starting quarterback.

He's not Jake Locker playing behind Matt Hasselbeck in Tennessee, after all. He's not even Christian Ponder in Minnesota pushed into the No. 2 role to begin the season out of deference to Donovan McNabb. The most accurate comparison is one that shouldn't scare anybody from moving full speed ahead on Weeden: Andy Dalton in Cincinnati.

Under different circumstances -- Carson Palmer was holding out -- the Bengals may have had no choice except to commit. But they knew he wasn't coming back and they're no worse off for going all in on Dalton.

The Browns obviously want Weeden to be their starter in 2012, or they wouldn't have drafted him so high. They expect him to start, or they wouldn't have boldly picked a player six months shy of his 29th birthday.

Maybe they have to let the rest of the team see Weeden first? The size. The arm. Maybe that's all they're waiting for to say Weeden is going into camp as No. 1 quarterback. They came surprisingly close to anointing him on the night of the draft, sloughing off the question about a quarterback competition while failing to dismiss another about possibly trading Colt McCoy.

So why not just say what everybody already knows? Weeden is the starter going into mini-camps and training camp and, unless he spits the bit, the race actually amounted to the second-fastest two minutes in sports behind the Kentucky Derby.

In Indianapolis, the Colts have not only already named Andrew Luck their starter but couldn't wait to trumpet his intangibles at mini-camp. Intangibles at mini-camp? Head coach Chuck Pagano called Luck "unflappable," apparently for showing up on time. At any rate, they don't seem worried about Luck being "handed" the position.

In Washington, head coach Mike Shanahan said of Robert Griffin III heading into OTAs, "He's the starter, period." Griffin III says in his mind he has to come in and prove he deserves to play ahead of veteran Rex Grossman, but everybody knows the Skins didn't draft him to start the season as a backup.

Had the Browns traded for the No. 2 pick, hopefully they wouldn't have announced RGIII would go to camp to compete with McCoy and Seneca Wallace.

You can say Weeden is no Luck or RGIII. I get that. The circumstances -- where he was picked, his age, the Browns' other needs in the draft when they picked him, the quality of the two quarterbacks on the roster -- all dictate he be fast-tracked as much as Luck and Griffin III.

So what Holmgren is doing is paying lip service to the idea of players earning their way. Fine. But it's as believable as the Browns saying they would be only too happy to support McCoy as the starter via the draft. Maybe they only said that to hide their draft intentions. Maybe they're still trying to drum up trade interest in McCoy.

View full sizeAP fileHe had a leading role in the high school musical and can swing on the stage.

But his trade value goes up now only if another team suffers an injury, not whether he's the clear No. 2 or being given an artificial chance to start. Weeden is the future. Given his age and everything else involved, the future is now.

View full sizeAP fileA dashing leading man on the course, with a winning performance just last Sunday.

"It's so competitive, you know, I wanted to make sure he was OK first, so I did that. But to call him to make sure he's OK? I didn't want to do that." -- Metta World Peace to Conan O'Brien on why he didn't call the Thunder's James Harden after elbowing him in the head and getting suspended.

In the interview, World Peace added that Harden "runs into people's elbows. When somebody dunks, he puts his chin right there."

Giving Peace a chance isn't all what John Lennon cracked it up to be.

SPINOFFS

Cris Carter says he put "bounties" on players to protect himself when opponents such as Denver linebacker Bill Romanowski threatened to injure him and end his career. Romanowski denied he ever told Carter, "I am going to end your career." He called that "absolute fiction."

If you can't believe Romanowski -- a guy who admitted steroid use, who hit Bryan Cox in the groin with a football, crushed the eye socket of a teammate in a practice fight, kicked Arizona fullback Larry Centers in the head and spit in the eye of San Francisco wide receiver J.J. Stokes -- who can you believe on the subject of making threatening statements about wanting to injure people? ...

The lawyer of Saints' suspended linebacker Jonathan Vilma calls the NFL's justice system a "kangaroo court."

That's not quite right. It's a kangaroo court agreed to by the player's association. ...

NBA commissioner David Stern says a "lack of preparedness" by players led to a rash of injuries this season. More like a lack of preparedness to play a schedule with too many games and not enough days off. ...

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Nationals outfielder Jason Werth, who played for the Phillies from 2007-10, says he was heckled by Philadelphia fans who screamed at him, "You deserve it" and "That's what you get" after Werth broke his wrist last Sunday.

"I am motivated to get back quickly and see to it personally those people never walk down Broad Street in celebration again," Werth wrote in an email to the Washington Post.

All that's missing is the comic sans. ...

By admitting (for some reason) he threw at Washington's Bryce Harper, Phillies' pitcher Cole Hamels not only got suspended. He's not under consideration for future work with SEAL Team 6 or in any casting of "Oceans 14." ...

Asked which injury is of most concern to him, Grady Sizemore said, "The body in general. ... I have to focus on every body part."

Now what in the world could possibly derail this comeback? ...

Lakers' big man Andrew Bynum's take that closeout games are "actually kind of easy" backfired Tuesday night when the Nuggets used the bulletin board material to beat the Lakers and force Game 6. Asked if he regretted his comment, Bynum said, "No."

Odd. Correcting something so ill-timed and patently wrong in the first place is actually kind of easy. ...

The prosecuting attorneys in the Roger Clemens trial were scolded for putting on a slow and "boring" trial. Did Judge Judy have bridge club? ...

Former Browns' personnel man Mike Lombardi listed his "value picks" from the 2012 draft for DirecTV. He included Billy Winn, the Boise State defensive lineman chosen with the 205th pick overall by the Browns.

Hopefully not because he had him rated as the 204th best player in the draft...

YOU SAID IT

(The Expanded Midweek Edition)

"Bud:

"Have other sportswriters ever put a bounty on you for writing the Spin column?" -- Chas K.

No. Just English teachers and journalism professors.

"Bud:

"Is it possible Seneca Wallace improved his attitude because he realizes Colt McCoy is a significantly less-expensive option for backup QB?" -- Dave Uible, Rocky River

Only cynics and realists would say that.

"Hey Bud:

"Forgive me if I reserve my excitement about Brandon Weeden until he goes in the first round of the NBA draft in roughly 2022." -- Scoop, Middleburg Heights

I have it on good authority the Cavs will not hand him a starting position.

"Hey Bud:

"Many of the baseball players in the majors today sport jewelry while on the field. Are the PD sports columnists permitted to wear bling at the office?" -- Dr Grinder

I can only speak for myself. I'm careful not to wear anything that clashes with my Medical Alert necklace.

"Bud:

"Should I be proud that the Derby horse I bet on is still running this morning?" -- Michael Sarro

I feel your pain. I once entered the inaugural Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati and finished during the Second Annual. With the apple somebody shoved into my mouth.

"Bud:

"Why not let the 'Occupy Cleveland' people live in Progressive Field to boost attendance?" -- Russ G

First-time "You Said It" winners receive a T-shirt from the Mental Floss collection.

"Bud:

"When the Indians have giveaways to the first 15,000 fans, what do they do with all the leftovers?" -- Jim Lefkowitz, Pepper Pike

Some repeat winners receive an Austin Kearns bobblehead.

"Bud:

"When will the footballs used by the 2011 Cleveland Browns go up for auction?" -- J Kiska, Lorain

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